Wheel cover



Feb. 2, 1965 A A. J. MALETzKE WHEEL COVER Filed March 25, 1963 United States Patent 3,168,349 WHEEL COVER Arnold J. Maletzke, Rochester, Mich., assigner to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 267,632 9 Claims. (Ci. 301-37) This invention relates to wheel covers and more particularly to a vehicle Wheel cover of the self-retaining type. One feature of this invention is that it provides a wheel cover having improved means for self-retainingly mounting the cover on a vehicle wheel. Another feature of this invention is that it provides a wheel cover having angularly displaceable retaining linger means mounted on a flange structure to a predetermined limit position, with the retaining finger means and the iiange structure limiting displacement of the linger means to iirst and second predetermined limit positions with respect to the flange structure. A further feature of this invention is that it provides a Wheel cover having cantilevered retaining iinger means mounted on a iiange structure thereof and means wlimiting displacement of the iinger means relative to the iiage srtucture to a predetermined limit position, with the iiange\structure lbeing distorted by the finger means when the iinger means moves beyond the predetermined limit position.

These and other features and advantages of the wheel cover of this invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is a sectional view of a vehicle wheel having a cover according to this invention mounted thereon;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 2 2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIf- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 4-4 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the spring clip retaining member.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a conventional vehicle wheel designated generally as includes a wheel rim 12 and a wheel body or spider 14- snitably secured thereto. Wheel 1i) is bolted at a number of places at 16 to the axle 18 of the vehicle to mount the wheel thereon. The rim 12 includes an intermediate generally axially and radially outwardly extending annular iiange 20 which merges on an arcuate juncture shoulder 22 into a generally radially outwardly extending axially facing terminal tlange 24 which terminates in a lip flange 26.

A wheel cover 28 includes an outer cover body or face 30 which covers the major portion of the Wheel 10 and includes a return bent peripheral marginal flange 32 which is adapted to engage the flange 24 of the wheel rim when the cover is mounted on the wheel to llimit axial inward movement of the cover relative to the wheel. The retaining iiange structure 34 of the cover includes a generally radially and axially outwardly extending annular flange portion 36 which nests against the rear face of the cover body 30, adjacent the margin thereof, and terminates in a return bent iiange 38 which nests within and against the flange 32 of the cover body to secure the structure 34 thereto. Flange structure 34 further includes a generally axailly inwardly extending annular ange portion 40 which is located in radially spaced opposed relationship to the intermediate iiange 20 of the wheel rim 12 when the cover 28 is mounted thereon. As best shown in FIGURE 4, the iiange portion 40 is provided with spaced pairs of axially elongated openings 42. In the embodiment shown, there are four such spaced pairs of openings, although it airain Patented Feb. 2., 1965 will be understood that more or less pairs of openings may be provided if desired.

Cover 28 is mounted on the wheel 10 by a plurality of spring clip type retaining members 44, each of which includes a central elongated body portion 45 and a pair of oppositely extending legs 46 terminating in laterally extending retaining iinger means 48, each of which is adapted to engage the wheel 10 to retain the cover on the wheel. The members 44 normally nest or bear against the inner surface of the flange structure 34 and are riveted thereto at Sti to locate the legs 46 of the members 44 in cantilever relation to the iiange structure 34. The retaining fingers 4S of members 44 project through the spaced pairs of openings 42, generally radially outwardly with respect to the flange structure 34, and include reduced leg portions 52 having the axially inner edges thereof located in adjacent spaced relationship to the axially inner edges of the openings 42 to locate the shoulders 54 of the retaining tingers in overlying relationship to the iiange structure 34 axially inwardly of and adjacent the axially inner edges of the openings 42.

When the cover is mounted on the wheel, the iiange portion 40 is first aligned with the opening defined by the intermediate iiange 2t) and the cover is then pushed axially inwardly of the wheel until the flange 32 of the cover body engages the terminal ange 34 of the wheel rim. Normally the retaining tips or edges 56 of the fingers 48 project to a larger radius than the largest radius of the iiange 2t) so that the fingers 48 are forced inwardly of the iiange structure 34 when the cover is mounted on the wheel and in turn deflect the spaced legs 46 of the members 44 to their position relative to the body portions 45 as shown in FIGURE 2. The movement of the retaining lingers 48 inwardly of the flange structure 34 moves the shoulders 54 thereof into closely spaced adjacent relationship to the iiange structure 34, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3.

As is Well-known, the rim 12 is continuously distorted out of its normal circulr shape into a generally oval shape during operation of the vehicle so that the intermediate `iiange 20 Will continuously approach and depart from the flange structure 34 at circumferentially succeeding locations as the Wheel rotates. This causes the fingers 48 to move inwardly and outwardly of the openings 42, but as soon as the lingers 48 have moved inwardly a predetermined distance, the shoulders 54 of the fingers engage the flange structure 34 and thereafter the members 44 and the iiange structure 34 move radially inwardly of the wheel as a unit as the iiange .structure is distorted. By permitting only a limited radial inward deflection of the legs 46 of the members 44, the fatigue life of the members 44 is greatly increased and thus the cover will be retained on the wheel without failure during service. In past wheel covers of the spring clip type, the covers have often been lost after a short period of service since the continual iiexing of the legs 46 of the spring clip members has caused these legs to exceed their normal fatigue life and lose their retaining ability so that the cover tends to be thrown ott the wheel under stopping and starting conditions.

Thus, this invention provides an improved Wheel cover of the self-retaining type.

I claim:

1. A wheel cover comprising, a cover member including an apertured flange portion, retaining means mounted on said ange portion and having a portion thereof dis'- placeable with respect to said ange portion and including means projecting lthrough said aperture and engageable with a poriton of a vehicle wheel to displace said retaining means portion relative to said cover member iiange portion, and means on said retaining means portion engageable with said cover member flange portion adjacent said aperture therein after said retaining means portion has been displaced a predetermined amount relative to said cover member'flange portion.

2. A wheel cover comprising, a cover member including an apertured flange portion, retaining means mounted on saidV Bange i portion Yand having -a portionV thereof ldisplaceable with respect to said ange lportion .andy including means projecting through said aperture-'and engageable. Witha portion .of axvehicle wheel to displace said retaining meansl portion relative to said cover member liange portion, and 'means Von said retaining .means portin. overlying saidcover Amember flange portion adjacent said :aperturefthereinand engageable therewith after said retainingmeans 4portionhas been displaced Aa predetermined..amount' relative toi said cover. member-l flange ing. an-,annular axiallyl extending apertured flange portion,

a retaining member mounted. on sadlange portion.v and including'an 4arm portion ,displaeeable with respect to said iiangeiand'having a` generallyradially.extending tooth portion projecting.,through said aperture and enga'geableA with a;;,portion orfza. vehicle wheelto displace Ysaid Vtooth portion relative` tosaidxaperture and displace said armV portion relative tovr said bodylportion, andV meanso-n said tooth; portion engageable withxsaid flange portion adjacent said Yaperture after-,said arm portion has been-displaced a predetermined, amount relative to said ilange portion.

5." ,A wheel.covencomprising, a cover member including an annular axially extending apertured ange portion adapted to havev one side., thereof 'juxtaposed to. a Yportion of a-vehicle Wheel, airetainingjmember 'mounted oirtheY oppositesideof. saidV ange .portion 'andY including an Varm portion extendinggdivergently;to said opposite side and.

having retaining;meansrextending through said 'aperture to.,said oneide'zosaid, flange portion and'engageable with the portion of'thevehicleiwheelto displace said arm ing an annular axiallyextending'iapertured iiange portion adapted to. have one sidepthereof `juxtaposed to aportion of a vehicle Wheel, a retaining member mountedon the opposite side of said iiange `portionand including an arm extending divergently to said .opposite sider and terminatingin a'generally radially extending portion projecting through said Vaperture tosaid one side of said viiange portion and engageablewith the portionof the vehiclewheel Vto displace said yarm relative to saidopposite side of said flange portion, and means on saidlradiallyV extending arm portion-engageable withsaid one side of vsaid 'iiange Vportion adjacent said-aperture therein after-said arm has been displaced` a predetermined amount relative to said other side of said flange portion.

7. A wheel cover asrre'cited in claim @wherein said means on said radially extending arm portion loverlies the other side: of said flange portion.

Y 8. A wheel cover as recited-in claim 6 wherein said radially extending portion includes a tooth engageable withV the portion of the vehicle Wheel/and having a portion thereof engageable Withy the other side of said flange f extending circumferentially and oppositely With'respect to each other, each -ofsaidarmv portions terminating inga generally-'radially-extending tooth portionk engageable with a portion-or a vehicle wheelv to angularlydisplace the respective arm portions relative to said flange portion,

and means Von said tooth portions engageable Withsaid l v ange portion after-said arm portions have beenV displaced through a predetermined angle to limit further displacementof Saidarm portions relative to -said angegportion.

References .Cited in.l the leofrthis patent.

y UNITED, STATES PATENTS- Mulhern V June-5, 1962 .l

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.. 3,168,349 F'ebrua'rygZ, 1965 Arnold'JI. Maletzke It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as' corrected below Column 1 line 16 for "to a predetermined.. limit position,

with" read -f thereof and'cooperatingfmeans.on line 2, for "srtucture" read vstuctuie column Z, line 39, for "circulr" read circular Signed and sealed this 29th day of June 1965.

(SEAL) Attest;

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A WHEEL COVER COMPRISING, A COVER MEMBER INCLUDING AN APERTURED FLANGE PORTION, RETAINING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FLANGE PORTION AND HAVING A PORTION THEREOF DISPLACEABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID FLANGE PORTION AND INCLUDING MEANS PROJECTING THROUGH SAID APERTURE AND ENGAGEABLE WITH A PORTION OF A VEHICLE WHEEL TO DISPLACE SAID RETAINING MEANS PORTIONS RELATIVE TO SAID COVER MEMBER FLANGE PORTION, AND MEANS ON SAID RETAINING MEANS PORTION ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID COVER MEMBER FLANGE PORTION ADJACENT SAID APERTURE THEREIN AFTER SAID RETAINING MEANS PORTION HAS BEEN DISPLACED A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT RELATIVE TO SAID COVER MEMBER FLANGE PORTION. 